Chronology of the conflict from 1988 up to present days.

History of the second Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict throughout the 20th century takes its beginning from February, 1988, when the session of the Council of Oblast (NKAO) of the Azerbijan SSR adopted decision to secede from Azerbaijan and to unite with Armenia. Not a confessional and ethnic factors are the basis of the conflict which started as local clashes and turned into one of the most long-standing and bloody conflicts in post-war Europe. Its roots are in the expansionism and policy of territorial agression aimed at the expansion of the territory of a state by means of the armed abruption and forceful seizure of a part of the territory of another sovereign state, which is a member of the UN, OSCE and other international organisations.

A prologue of a full-scale armed aggression against Azerbaijan became anti-constitutional actions by separatist groups in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, supported by and controlled from outside completely contradicting Internationl Lae and the Soviet legislation in vigour that time.

Having begun with organising of the illegal meetings, strikes and actions of non-obediences, the Republic of Armenia started to establish the unconstitutional power instutions in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. The military formations as well as a huge amount of weapons and ammunitions were shipped on the territory of Azerbaijan. A military bridgehead was set up to conduct an armed aggression against Azerbaijan.

Full-scale hostilities in the zone of-the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict triggered at the end of 1991-early 1992.Armenian armed formations, using the most modern weapon systems, deployed combat operations in the Nagorna-Karabakh region, culmination of which became a seizure of the city of Khodjali in February, 1992 resulted in nearly peaceful inhabitants, including the olds, women and children., brutally killed, and occupation of the Shusha rayon in May, 1992.Thereupon, armed actions were beyond the adminstrative boundaries of the region and expanded to the rest of Azerbaijan and Armenia-Azerbaijan border, includng its Nakhichevan zone.Pending the period from May , 1992 until May, 1994 6 more rayons of Azerbaijan were occipied.

Thus, as a result of aggreession against the Republic of Azerbaijan, more than 17.000 km² were occupied that constitute about 20% of the whole territory of the country, more thna 18.000 person were killed, over 50.000 are wounded or invalidated, more than 900 settlements, 100 thousand dwellings , more 1 thousand economic objects, more than 600 schools, 250 institutions looted or ruined. Internally displaced persons exceeded 800.000 persons and plus nearly 200.000 from Armenia representing disastrous figures for the country with 7.5 mln. population.

Humanitarian situation.

As a result of ethnic cleansing, a dramatic humanitarian situation in Azerbaijan produced.The most of refugees and IDPs were accomodated in the tent camps, schools and student’s hostels. In spite undertaking efforts, they constantly threaten to perish with chill and epidemics due to the insufficient level of shelter and sanitary living conditions.The problem is aggravated by the presence of children and the olds. Although the total humanitarian aid sent to Azerbaijan in 1997 has formed 60 mln. US dollars for a present day that falls short of minimum need of the people affected by the conflict.

Arms supply to Armenia

Illegal suppulies of the Russian weapon to Armenia from 1994 to 1996, including 84 tanks T-72, 50 ACVs, 32 operative -tactical missiles R-17 with range of up 300 km, capable to carry nuclear warheads, and other arms worth of 1 billion US dollars, as the resent supply by Russia to Armenia of up-dated aircraft MIG-29 and plans to deploy in Armenia surface-to-air system S-300 worth 2 billion US dollars, cause a particular concern to Azerbaijan. This supplies violate norms of International Law, principles of the peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict. Such illegal actions are the contradiction with the UN Security Councils Resultation 853, Statement of Chairman of Security Council as of 18 August 1993, and decision of a OSCE Committee of Senior Officials as of 28 February and 14 March , 1992, which require to cancel a military supplies to the states, involed to the conflict, as promoting ti escalation of the conflict and continuation of the occupation of the Azerbaijani territories.

Illegal supplies are also in the direct contradiction with provisions of CFE Agreement.

Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia on the friendship , co-operation and mutual assistance.

Signed on August 29, 1997. Practically, it constitutes a military alliance between two states. A signing of such Agreement testfies that, on the one hand, the Republic of Armenia is not going to solve Armenian-Azerbaijani armed conflict by the political means, but sees a further development of situation in the region as a continuation of armed confrontations with the Azerbaijan Republic, and on the another hand, Russian Federation falls short with its obligations as a state of Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Conference.

Azerbaijan considers this Agreement as a factor that aggravates, in a considerable extent, tense situation in the armed conflict, and weakens hopes of region’s peoples for the peaceful settlemen of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict, normalisation of relations between the Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and establishment of peace and security in the region.

Violation of the cease-fire regime.

It is already 4,5 years as cease-fire regime, reached on May 12, 1194, has been operating. However, in these latter days, a provocative activity of the Armenian armed units, deployed along the Line of Contact, gains more impudent nature and pursues a purpose to compel Azerbaijan do drop into the new turn of combat actions. It is worthwhile to note hat an Armenian party broke an Agreement on case-fire regime 1271 times since it was reached on May, 1994, up to May, 1998. Altogether, for this period of time 188 persons were killed, 366 wounded.

The liberation of POWs.

Activities with the mediation ICRC on the liberation POWs and hostages are continuing. From 1993 up to May, 1998, there were exchanges between parties, as a result of which 357 persons were liberated- 102 Armenians and 255 Azerbaijanis.However, according to the Ministry of National Security of the Republic of Azerbaijan, more than 800 Azerbaijanis are remaining in Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Chronology of the negotitation process.

International mediation on the settlement of the conflict takes its beginning from February, 1992, within the framework of so called OSCE Minsk process, which is the only forum on the eleboration of comprehensive model of settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

Minsk group - a forum on preparation of Minsk conference-was established aiming at political settlement of this issue, which comprises Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, USA, France, Poland, Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Finland, Sweden, Italy.

After the beginning of hostilities and seizure of Azerbaijani cities, UN Security Council adopted Resolutions 822, 853, 874, 884, that stipulate immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian armed formations from the territory of Azerbaijan and returning of refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes.

Main landmarks in the negotiating process have become the Helsinki Additional meeting CSCE Council in March 24, 1992, the OSCE Budapest and Lisbon Summits.

In accordance with decision of the OSCE Budapest Summit, 1994, the institute of Co-Chairmen of the Minsk conference was created, which were entrusted “to conduct speedy negotiations for the conclusion of a political agreement on the cessation of the armed conflict (“Big Political Agreement”), the implementation of which will eliminate major consequences of the conflict for all parties and permit the convening of the Minsk Conference.”

Thereby, as a result of the Budapest Summit, the legal two-stage framework of the settlement procces was completely composed:

1) First stage- elimination of the consequences of the armed conflict by the implementation of the Agreement, which means a full liberation of all occupied territories and ensuring a return of IDPs to their homes;

2) Second stage- elaboration and adoption of a comprehensive peace settlement at the Minsk conference.

There was also a decision agreed upon at the Budapest summit to establish to OSCE peacekeeping operation after the conclusion of the political Agreement. After Budapest , 16 rounds and many consultations with participants of the conflict were organised and conducted by the Co-Chairmen (Russia-Finland).

During the time, 75% of the Agreement’s draft and its Annexes were agreed upon. Yet, a consent on the principal issues such as full liberation of all territories, including Shusha and Lachin rayons, security of parties to the conflict and withdrawal of units of armed forces of Armenia from the territory of Azerbaijan has not been achieved.

Three principles of the settlement of the Armenian- Azerbaijani conflict were formulated in the Statement of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office at Lisbon Summit, 1996. They are following:

-territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan Republic;

-legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh defined in an agreement based on self-determination which confers on Nagorno-Karabakh the highesr degree of self-rule within Azerbaijan;

-guaranteed security for Nagorno-Karabakh and its whole population, including mutual obligations to ensure compliance by all the Parties with the provisions of the settlement.

These principles were supported by 53 the OSCE state-participants, except Armenia.

Since Novomber, 1996, Armenia unilaterally has broken direct consultations between Advisers of Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

After Lisbon Summit and establishing of an institute of the triple Co-Chairmanship (Russia-France-USA), only one round of negotiation (in April, 1997) was conducted, which ended without particular results.

In the June-September, 1997, the Co-Chairmanship elaborated and submitted a new document for consideration of the Parties envisaging two-staged conflict settlement according to the following scheme:

On the first stage- a liberation of 6 rayons, occupied in the course of the conflict that are outside of the former NKAO (except Lachin rayon), return of civil population and restoration of the main communications in the region of conflict.

On the second stage- a resolution of the situation around Lachin and Shusha rayons and adoption of the main principles of the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The final comprehencive settlement of the conflict, including an Agreement on the status of self-rule of NK within Azerbaijan, will be reached at the Minsk conference.

On October 1, 1997, Azerbaijan officially informed Co-Chairmanship on its consent with the document as basis for the upcoming negotiations.

On October, 1997, in Strasbourg, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia made a Joint Statement on readinnes to resume negotiations on the basis of Co-Chairmen’s proposals.

On December, 1997, in Copenhagen, a Report of Co-Chairmen, emphasising a need to continue efforts on the settlement of conflict on the basis of Lisbon principles and proposals of Co-Chairmanship, was distrubuted at the OSCE Ministerial Council’s meeting.

On May 13-17, 1998, during a visit of Co-Chairmen to the region, Armenia officially stated about the recall of consent of former President of Armenia with proposals on stage-by-stage settlement, and spoke for a package settlement without preconditions.

On November 9, 1998, Co-Chairmen introduced new proposals on package settlement of conflict based on a concept of “common state”. Azerbaijan from the very beginning during the consultations of November 9 refused to accept this proposals, and on November 19 sent written response to Co-Chairmen, officially informing the mediator on unacceptability of proposals of November 9. Azerbaijan confirmed its readinnes to resume negotiations within the OSCE Minsk Group on the basis of Co-Chairmen’s proposals of September 19, 1997.

On November 20, 1998, the Delegation of Azeri community of Nagorno-Karabakh officially rejected proposals of November 9, an on November 25 Armenia and Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh have stated on acceptability for them of the mentioned proposals.

On December 2-3, 1998, in the course of meeting of the OSCE Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Oslo a special para on the Minsk process was included in to Co-Chairman-in-Office’s Summary, that consists an appeal to the parties to the conflict to resume immediately in the framewok of MG the negotiations and to Co-Chairmen to continue their efforts to promote negotiations and Co-Chairmen to continue their efforts to promote negotiations and quest of resolutions.